33.1
The above-described
events took place in the winter. At the commencement of spring Quinctius,
anxious to make the Boeotians, who were uncertain which side to take, into
a Roman dependency, summoned Attalus to Elatia, and marching through
Phocis fixed his camp at a point five miles from Thebes, the Boeotian capital.
The following day, escorted by a single maniple and accompanied by Attalus
and the various deputations who had flocked to him from all quarters, he
proceeded to the city. The hastati of the legion, numbering 2000 men, were
ordered to follow him at a distance of one mile. About half-way he was met
by Antiphilus, the captain-general of the Boeotians; the population of the
city were on the walls, anxiously watching the approach of the Roman
general and the king. They saw few arms and few soldiers with them, the
hastati, who were following a mile behind, were hidden by the windings of
the road and the undulating nature of the terrain. As he came nearer to the
city he slackened his pace, as though he were saluting the crowds who had
come out to meet him, but really to allow the hastati to catch him up. The
townsfolk pushing along in a mass in front of the lictor did not see the armed
column which had hurried up until they reached the general's quarters. Then
they were utterly dismayed, as they believed that the city had been betrayed
and captured through the treachery of Antiphilus. It was quite clear that the
Council of Boeotia which was summoned for the next day would have no
chance of unfettered deliberation. They concealed their vexation, since to
have exhibited it would have been useless and dangerous.
